Fruit-picker



UNITED STTE PATENT E.

:HENRY s. rownnLL,

OF OTTUMWA, IO'W A.

FRUIT-EICKER.

specification of Letters Patent.

J. `1 I atenled 14 eo,

EE il Application filed March 18, 1920. Serial No. l'.`

lnventi in the art to which it appert-ains to make and use the same.

'his invention relates to fruit picker,

one object of the invention is to provide e which may be used forgathering pears, oranges and various other thedevice being' soconstructed that i", 'the handle but the delivery chute shall be formedin sections7 so that the effective length of these elements may be i :lto suit the condition` under which device is used.

;i further object is to provide a device of the type indicated and'ormed in Sections as specified, the ohute bei g adapted to deiver thefruit directly into the hands of the .noividual using the device, sothat there be no danger of bruising the fruit by contact with any solidarticle, or by contact between the individual articles of fruit.

A still further object is to provide an efiicient device which shall beof light construction, and which shall necessitate the employment of apole of a length 'suflicient only to serve Jthe particular purposerequired at a given time, the pole and the chute connectedtherewithbeing extended as circumstances require.

still further object is to provide a device which shall include a poleformed in a plurality of Sections having telescoping connections witheach other, the chute being also formed in Sections, the' adjacentSeotions overlapping and being properly secured: the upper section ofthe chute having connection with means for directly engagthe fruitstems, andl the. points of engagement being such that the fruit wheneparatec from the branch shall be directly over, or in face within theupper end of the chute.

Vvlith the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consistsin the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of elementshereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure l discloses the device in side eleva- L' i :11011.

.g A tive view of the frame z upl' cr end of the chute and ii positiontheidevices forA from the stem.

1 incntary detail view show- :uer of connecting the two deus of thepole. I

i i is a detali view `showing the mannei' of conuec'ing the overlappingportions the "Ihute. i

l: rir

to the drawings in detail, two .cns of the pole are designated of theseSections being proferi'ule 3.3 having a bayonet rhe other section of thel with a pin 15 copei'ating ans together when they have been connectedfor use.

Com ected with the upper end of the pole s a. frame one element ofwhich, extending v'erticaily, is U-shaped and is provided with i shankportion 17 projecting into the pole nd being secured thereto. Thevertically extending U-shaped portion just mentioned is de n'na'ted 18and provides an opening in the side of the chute at the upper endthereof, for the purpose indicated below. Formed integrally with theframe 18 is a horizontally extending U-frarne 20, and mounted therein inthe position shown are a` plurality of elements 21 and 22 which may betermed blades, since they separate the fruit from the twigs.

The chu'te is formed in Sections as previously indicated, and in thedrawings there are shown two of such Sections, it being understood thateach section of the pole also carries a chute section. In making thisstatement the lower section of the pole may be excepted, in order thatsuficient room may be provided for readily handling the device.

The Sections of the chute here shown are designated at Q5 and 26 andthey overlap in the mauncr indicatcd, forming a type of telescopingconnection vany suitable securng device being provided, such as a drawstring 27. A more positive connection is also provided by employing ahook 28 and a ring 29, providing for suspending one section from theother. Staples, screws, or any suitable devices are mounted on the poleat mona slot and adapted to retain intervals, as shown at 29', and thesections of the chute are secured thereto, by stitching or in anysuitable manner.

The upper end of the upper chute section is cut away at one side, andthe edges of the cut away portion and of the top are secured to thehorizontal and Vertical elements zontal plane to form approximatelyright p angled portions and are defiected thence toof the frame.

It will be observed that 'the cuttlng or engaging devices which contactwith the stem of the fruit will permit the latter to be severed from thetwig directly over the end of the (hute and within the mou'th thereof,so that the fruit Will fall in a direct line, and may be received in thehand of the operator, without coming into contact with an obstruction ofany Character, and without danger of one piece of fruit contacting withanother and therebybefoming bruised. The

device may be employed under practically all conditions, and will enablethe Operator to gather a much greater quantity of fruit in a given timethan it would be otherwise possible to do, all the fruit being in goodcondition, so far as the picking operation is concerned. It may befurther noted that the neoessity of using ladders is entirely obviated,even though some of the fruit may be in such position that it wouldordinarily be inaccessible. The extension handle and chute areespecially adapted to such conditions. i

What I claim is:

In a fruit picker, a one piece frame comprising a U-member, the ends ofwhich are defiected downwardly at right angles to the plane of theU-member when it is in a horiward each other at' right angles, adownwardly extending shank portlon formed at the juncture of 'theportions extending to- Ward each other, fruit detaching membersconnected with the middle portion of the U-frame and diverging to pointsin connection with opposite sides of the frame at the angular portionsfirst named, a handle connected with the shank, and a chute having anopen end the edge portions of which are connected with the U-portion ofthe frame, the upper sides of the chute being provided with an openingthe edge portions of which are connected with the downwardly deflectedportions of the frame.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

. HENRY S. POW'NELL. Wtnesses:

` ORPHA BAKER,

IsAL McRnYNoLDs.

